Montreal sewage purge starts today

During a one-week period starting today, Montreal will begin diverting eight billion litres of untreated wastewater away from an interceptor and directly into the St. Lawrence River, following a greenlight from the federal Environment Minister on the controversial dump.

Montreal must use a series of risk-mitigating measures to limit the effect of the sewage on the river, namely keeping close tabs on the discharge plume, and creating emergency and clean-up plans.

Montreal officials say the purge is a safe and necessary infrastructure measure to move a snow chute before demolishing the downtown Bonaventure Expressway.

Officials say the plan is safe, and that oxygen in the water will help dissolve bacteria. They added that Montreal’s sewage treatment plant could be at risk without the dump.